As wireless communications networks evolve, the need to keep a network functional remains critical. Advances in transport technology, particularly digital radio frequency (RF), provide additional performance and improved signal quality demanded by consumers. Traditional wireless network architectures, which rely on equipment upgrades in order to overcome limitations, are being transformed by technologies such as software-defined radio (SDR). With SDR, a radio signal is generated using software rather than traditional radio equipment hardware, and wireless service providers have greater flexibility by programming SDR to provide a broader range of frequencies, bandwidths, and transmission protocols.
With the increase in capability provided by SDR being deployed on digital wideband RF transport systems, new data and video services are being adopted at an ever-increasing rate. As is the case in upgrading a traditional RF network, service is interrupted on digital wideband RF transport systems in order to upgrade the system with new capabilities. Whenever a system upgrade is attempted, there is a risk that a software download to the system is unsuccessful due to an inability to complete the software download in a required amount of time to avoid a system fault.
In order to remedy the inability to complete the software download in the required amount of time, data transfer speed is increased to meet timing requirements. In current situations, increasing the data transfer speed often results in data collision, or crossed feedback, between hardware components in one or more transport units. When this occurs, service personnel are sent on-site to complete the upgrade. The on-site upgrade often results in a replacement of system hardware. Any unsuccessful upgrade in the one or more transport units leads to a potential lengthy downtime throughout the network.